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No Language, No Voice: Going to School in Another Country All Alone
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6 I led my firstborn to the concrete classroom with the green metal door and faked a bit of confidence. Micah did not want to go in just as much as I did not want to leave, so we stood there squeezing hands and scanning the crowd. Dozens of brown eyes stared like they’d never seen white people. It was March—not the best time to enter a new school. Especially in another country. We had only lived in town…
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Start Peeling Away: How to Not Helicopter Parent & What to do Instead ~ Part 2
Welcome to part two! Last week I shared the top five things I stopped doing that helped me step down and saved me minutes. Today I’m sharing the top five things I started doing that helped our kids step up, and taught me big lessons. Of course this is not an exhaustive list, and if you have done other things that have helped your kiddos step up, please share! *Disclaimer: Yes—just like last week, I still struggle with every one of these. Slow progress is better than no progress, right? 1. I started letting them go out without a coat. “Don’t forget your coat!” This innocent parental advice is all…
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Stop Hulling Their Strawberries: 5 Things I Did to Not be a Helicopter Parent ~ Part 1
Stepping aside as a parent might sound downright delightful to some. But if the idea of moving over makes you dig your heels into the tile, read on. When my eyes first read the term “Helicopter Mom,” I felt pretty good about the fact I wasn’t one. At least not in general. But the more I examined my mother heart (sprinkled with a bit-o-pride), the more I realized I had tendencies. Working on the following list has been eye-opening. I want to gradually loosen the reigns now so I don’t accidentally pack my kids’ bags for them when they leave for college. I hope it helps you stop any possible swirling blades, too.…
